Apparatus for reforming rail ends



Nov. 1, 1938. c A. MILLER Y 2,135,107

APPARATUS FOR REFORMING RAIL ENDS Filed Dec. 25, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 o I h 1| u 1 ;7: m l NN @D 3mm it J www1/11ml' Summa/1f Nov. 1, 1938. c. A. MxLLER 2,135,107

APPARATUS FoR REFORMING RAIL ENDS Filed Dec. 23, 1935 4 Shets-Sheet 2 Nov. 1, 1938. c. A. MILLER 2,135,107

APPARATUS FOR REFORMING RAIL ENDS Filed Dec. 23, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1/ I /00 l/o/ n l 552k a5 A 1mm/m @@15 85 43 (ZarleJ/lllZ/ef Nov. 1, 1938.`

C. A. MILLER l. APPARATUS FOR REFORMING RAIL ENDS Filed Dec. 25, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 www4/136 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

next.

The amount of depression is ordinarily rather slight, but the effect when heavy rolling stock passes over the joints at high speed, upon the life of the rails, and upon the comfort of the passengers riding thereon is very great.

It has become common practice to build up the ends of the rails at the joint by adding metal thereto by electric welding. This practice is found to be expensive and dangerous.

The latter, be-

cause the application of intense heat to a small portion of the rail sets up strains which are liable to cause cracking.'

In accordance with the process of the present invention, no metal is added to the rails but the metal already there is displaced from its existing position in such manner as to leave the tread surfaces in augment.

It results from this that the metal ofthe rails after reformation is of the same analysis as the remainder of the rail, and by care in proper cooling after the process is applied, the hardness of the rail will be left substantially like that of the remaining portions of the rails.

Further objects of the invention willy appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention,

and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation, diagrammatic in character, of the complete apparatus;

Fig.

Fis.

2 is a perspective view of a joint before treatment showing the batter exaggerated;

3 is a likeview of a joint after treatment seen from the outside of the rail, showing the depression produced by the treatment;

Fig.

4 is a like view of a joint which has been treated in such manner as to bring the resulting depression at the inside of the rail;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the press of the apparatus;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sections on sponding section lines of Fig. 5;

Fig.

Fig. 5 Fig.

Fig. 5'

the corre- 8 is a side elevation of .the apparatus of 9 is a longitudinal section on line` 3-9 of '10 is a detail section on an enlarged scale on line lll-iu of Fig. 9, showing parts in elevation and partly broken away;

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of a portion of a clamp member shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section on line I2-I2 of 5 Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a press block;

Fig. 14 is a diagram of circuits of an alignment indicator; and

Fig. 15 is va side view upon a reduced scale showing power means to operate the rail engaging means.

As shown the apparatus may be carried by a vehicle 20 adapted to run upon the rails 2| to be operated upon. The apparatus comprises a press indicated as a .whole at 22 supported by a cable 23 passing about a pulley 24 carried by a boom 25 and mast 26. l

The cable 23 is shown as attached to a piston rod 21 to be actuated by a piston, not shown, in a cylinder 28 under fluid pressure control by a valve 29. The cylinder 28 comprises a servel motor of well known form and its structure and control need not be further explained since it will be understood that the press may thereby be raised and lowered as desired, and by means of swinging the boom 25 and brace 30 about the mast 2B, the press may be swung from one rail to the other of the Ytrack upon which the vehicle travels.

Connected with the pressure line 3l is a flexible conduit 32, pressure in which is controlled by a three-way valve 33 to govern the pressure in a cylinder lto apply power to the press in a manner to be described. l

Prior to applying the press'v22 to the rail, it is heated to plasticity in any suitable manner by apparatus which forms no portion of the presentA invention. When the proper heat has been raised, the press is applied, which press carries a straight edge block 35 to be clamped into contact -with the tread `surface of the rails, and a second straight edge block 36 to be clamped into contact with the inner surface of the rail in the form of the invention illustrated, whereby 'the 45 tread and wheel ange contacting surfaces are left in true alignment after application of the process. 4

The press also comprises an outer pressure block 31 carried by the apparatus, shown in Fig- 50 ure 13 in detail, pressure upon which block 3l causes a flow of the metal controlled by blocks 35, 36 lto bring the said upper and inner surfaces oftheyball of the rail to true alignment, and necessarily leaving ya depression atl the surface of the rail from which the metal has owed, which depression is indicated at 38, Figure 3, or

. may be as indicated at 39 in` Figure 4.

When a rail end has become battered, there is also more or less wear upon the angle plates, as 40, at the joint. If the bolts of the angle plates are merely drawn tight before the process is applied, the ow of the metal will compensate for this wear so that no play will be possible after reformation. However the angle plate engaging surfaces of the rails will then be out of true alignment with each other and it will be impossible to apply new angle plates thereafter without grinding said surfaces to alignment. It is preferred therefore in the carrying out of the invention to apply new angle plates before the rails are reformed.

The press illustrated herein comprises a base plate 4| cut away at 42 for reception of the moving parts of the press. A backbone plate 43 is fastened to wing plates 44, 45 as by welding the abutting surfaces, and the wing plates 45 are likewise attached to the base plate 4|.

'I'he lower edge of the plate 43 is shown at 46 to be rounded and to engage in a rounded groove in the block 35, which latter block extends the full width of the press and has a rectilinear surface to provide correct alignment of the rail ends after reformation. The length of this block is such that it extends beyond the joint in both directions well beyond the portion which will be heated for treatment.

To secure the block 35 to the plate 43, there are shown plates 41, 48 secured to the block 35 closing the ends of the groove therein and pivotally secured to the plate 43 as by cap screws, 49, 50.

To provide a reactance against the pressure applied by the press, a straight edge block 36 is shown as formed with a groove mounted upon the edge of the plate 4| at 5|, which block 36 is desirably equal in length to block 35 and ensures a correct alignment of the wheel flange engaging surface of the rail.

The movable jaw of the press, as shown, comprises a pair of plates 52, 53 slidable through slots in plate 43 and formed with a notch 54 to receive the block 55 which carries the pressure block 31. The remaining ends of the jaw 52, 53 are perforated for receiving a pin 56, Fig. 7, upon which links 51 of -toggle arms act. The remaining arms 58 of the toggle are shown asengaging a pin 59 mounted in the plate 4|.

To apply pressure upon the toggle arms there is shown a piston rod 60 acting against a pin 6| and actuated by piston 62 in cylinder 34. To return the piston to normal position and to release the press, there is shown a spring 63 which is compressed when the press is operated and which will release the same when pressure isreleased from the cylinder 34.

'I'he traveling ends of thejaws 52 are shown as supported by a bracket 64 upon which bear rollers 65, 66, carried by the pin 56.

The operating and pressure-,applying points of the press, as block 31, pins 56 and 59, will be seen to be substantially in alignment for the most efficient application of the pressure.

The block 55 is shown as secured in place in thepress by means of cap screws 61, passed through a plate 68 and having screwthreaded 'engagement with the block.

To carry the pressure block 31 adjustably upon the block 55, a surface of the block 69 is shown as formed tapered and a block 10 having the complemental taper is slidably attached thereto by means of hook plates 1| secured to the blockY 55 and overhanging flanges 12 formed upon the block 10.

To adjust the block 10 longitudinally upon the block 55, there is shown an angle plate 13 carried by an end of the block 10 overhanging an end of the block 55 and engaged by washers upon an adjusting screw 14 which has screwthreaded engagement with an opening in the block 55.

The pressure block 31 is seated in groove 15 in the tapered block 10 and may be retained therein by means of a set screw 16.

It will be seen that the length of the block 31 is considerably less than that of blocks 35 and 36 and is intended `to roughly conform to the length of the batter to be corrected and to the portion of the rail which is heated to plasticity.

It is intended to have a plurality of blocks 31 at hand formed to suit cases of different defects in rail ends. By means of such choice of blocks and of lateral adjustment of .the projection of the block by means of screw 14, a correct realignment of the rail by maximum action of the press may be ensured.

To hold the press down upon the rail, there are shown two pairs oi' clamp jaws each comprising jaws 11, 18 pivotally mounted upon blocks 19, 8|), which blocks are mounted upon eccentrics 8|, 82 carried upon squared portions of a shaft 83 which latter is cylindrical at its central portion 84 mounted in the backbone plate 43. The shafts 83 may be revolved by means of handles 85.

To swing the jaws 11, 18 laterally they are formed adjacent their pivots 86 with shoulders 81, 88 to `be acted upon by cams 89, 90. These cams are formed as shown in Figure 11, wherein a cam 89 is shown as pressing upon a -shoulder 81 to press a jaw 18 inwardly, the jaw 11 being pressed by its cam 89 also inwardly at the same time, and coincidentally with this motion of the jaw, action of the eccentrics 8|, 82 will cause pressure of the jaws 11, 18 upon the rail below the ball thereof to firmly press the block 35 against the rail tread.

When the handles 85 are moved in the oppositedirection, the projection of cams 90 will press upon the shoulders 88 to swing the jaws outwardly into the dotted line position of Figure 12 to allow` the free lifting of the press away from' the rail.

Rails are normally placed in the track with a slight camber, shown in exaggerated form in Figures 8 and 9.

To hold the press in proper alignment with the tread surface of the rail, there are shown arms 9|, 92 secured to the plates 44, 45 and carrying adjusting screws 93, 94. By manipulation of these adjusting screws and by compensation for slight diierences of alignment by the pivoting of the block 35, the reformed surfaces of the rails may be brought to true alignment with the existing rail surfaces at points removed from the joint.

Itis desirable to have some indication as to the success of the reformation, since if one action of the press does not succeed in producing correct alignment, it may be moved slightly and a second pressure applied which may cause a perfect result. To this end, the block 35 is shown as' provided with a plurality lof cavities 95 having an opening slightly reduced to retain therein a full contact member 96 which, when the block is out of contact with the rail, will project from the rail-engaging surface of the block and be out of contact with a second insulated contact l1.

In Figure 14 there is shown a plurality of lamps 9B, one in series with each of the pair of contact members and with the battery Il, the other pole of which is connected to the block ll. Therefore when each of the lamps Il is/aslow after the press hasbeen actuated, the operator may be certain that the rail has been brought to true alignment within a permissible tolerance of error at all points.

It is preferred to apply the pressure block 3l to the outside of. the rail since the resulting depression 38 in the rail will not interfere with the guiding of the flanges of the wheels if formed at this point. However a pressure block if oorrectly formed may be applied to the inner surface of the rail and cause flow of the metal with a resultant depression 39, assuggested in Figure 4, which depression not extending the full height of the flange engaging surface of the rail may still leave the rail in operative condition.

To operate the levers l5 for control of the rail clamping jaws 11, 18, there is shown in Fig. 15 a cylinder III having oppositely acting pistons, not shown, to simultaneously operate piston rods Illl connected to levers 85' by a slotted connection'.

Fluid pressure may be supplied to the cylinder |00 by any suitable hose connection controlled from car 20.

In operation, the extent of the batter at each side of the joint is first measured, as well as the depth of the batter. lA block 31 is then chosen so formed as to be substantially complementary of the existing batter, with the result that the metal of the rail ends will not be caused to ow longitudinally of the rail but merely transversely in order to properly correct the alignment of the treads.

It is contemplated that after the rail has been reformed by the process of the invention, any desirable cooling or control of cooling may be applied to regulate the hardness of the rail to agree with the body thereof.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination: rectilinear means to engage the tread andi one lateral surface of rail ends at a joint of a track to limit and control flow of metal as said rail ends are reformed; means to be pressed against the remaining lateral surface to cause flow of metal into contact with the rst named means; and means to exert pressure upon said last named means.

2. 'Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination: rectilinear means shaped to conform to the cross-sectional profile of a rail tread; means to firmly press said iirst named means upon the treads of rail ends at a joint of a track; rectilinear means shaped to conform to a lateral surface of the ball of a rail; pressure applying means substantially complementary to the batter of rail ends to be obliterated, to be pressed against -the remaining lateral surface of the balls of the rail ends; and means to cause squeezing of the said rail ends between said pressure means and said second named rectilinear means.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination: a press comprising a tread of rails to be reformed, and meansto partially support said press from the opposite rail of the track to preserve proper transverse position of the press; and means to adjust said means to-vary the transverse angular relation of the press to the rail to be treated.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination: a press including top and side rail-engaging members to preserve correct alignment of reformed rail ends, and a metal flow-causing member comprising a block to be pressed against the rail ends; and means to adjust the position of said block in the press toward and away from a rail to vary the effect of maximum closing movement of the press.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a presscomprising an alignment-preserving member to rest upon the tread surfaces of rail ends to be treated; means to press said member upon said tread surfaces comprising apair of hook members to engage the shoulders of a ball of one of said rail ends, and means to move said hook members laterally toward and away from said shoulders and to pull upwardly thereon to cause pressure of said first named member against the rails.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a press comprising an alignment-preserving member to rest upon the tread surfaces of rail ends to be treated; means to press said member upon said tread surfaces comprising a shaft revoluble in the frame of said press; a pair of blocks eccentrically mounted on said shaft; a hook member pivotally carried by each of said blocks to engage beneath the respective shoulders of the ball of one of the rails; oppositely projecting shoulders carried by each hook adjacent its pivot and a pair of cams fixed upon said shaft, one at each side of each block to engage said shoulders upon revolution of said shaft respectively upon oppositeimovements of revolution of said shaft, whereby to respectively move said hooks toward and away from vsaid ball shoulders when said shaft is rotated.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a press to cause flow of plasticlzed metal of rail ends, comprising a member to engage the tread surfaces of said rail ends to determine true alignment of the displaced metal; and indicating means carried by said member to indicate contact of the metal of said rail ends with said member at a plurality of points thereof.

9. Rail end reforming apparatus comprising,

'in combination: a press to cause ow of plasticized metal of rail ends including straight edge means to rest upon the tread surfaces of the rails to control the flow of metal thereof; powerr portion of the rails to be reformed; means to pivotally mount said member upon the lower edge of said plate for transverse rocking movements; a base plate projecting laterally of said backbone plate; a straight edge member carried by said base plate to engage the inner surface of the balls of the rail ends, substantially coextensive with said rst named straight edge 10 member; a press jaw extending transversely of tial distance each way from the joint. beyond the said backbone plate to overhang the outer sur- 

